A Dark Deal
by khaleesiofmischief
Summary: Cersei makes a deal with the Dark One in order to protect herself from the valonqar, but the result is unexpected...Jaime/Cersei, Rumpelstiltskin


A dark thought was poisoning her mind and haunting her dreams. The Queen could not find peace when she was awake neither when she was asleep. She wasn't safe anymore and neither were her children. The Imp had escaped from the black cells. He had killed their father and his little whore.

How could Cersei protect herself and her children?

There was one person powerful enough…Well, not really a person anymore, but he could help her. The real question was: was she willing to pay the price?

She looked at the torn piece of parchment in her pale hand. The paper was yellow with age, the ink was smeared by her tears, but it was still readable. She could still the name written on it and the promises coming with it.

Into the darkness she whispered the cursed name, "Rumpelstiltskin…"

The candle blew out, and for a moment she hated herself for calling him. There was no turning back now, though. The curtains moved in wind brought not by any natural source. The air smelled like old books and forest and a little like decay. Out of the shadows walked a man, power of the old ways reeling about him. His skin was scaled; sometimes it looked grey, others it looked gold. He grinned at Cersei, flashing discoloured, almost black teeth. His hands were like the claws of the mighty eagles that Cersei had seen in pictures.

Cersei drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She would not let this creature see her fear.

"The Queen herself calls me. To what do I owe this honour?"

"I wish to make a deal", Cersei replied, sounding like a true lioness.

The Dark One giggled, causing Cersei to jump. It was a deranged, insane laughter that hid danger. "A deal? Interesting. Very interesting, dearie. What do you want from me?"

"I want you to protect me and my children from the valonqar, the little brother who is going to kill me."

Cersei watched as the Dark One's ugly face turned into a mask of pure delight. "And what shall you give me in return, dearie?" he asked.

Cersei had been told that Rumpelstiltskin asked absurd things when he made his deals with people, and often people could not pay his price. However, Cersei had nothing to fear. "I am the Queen, a Lannister of the Rock", she said proudly. "Whatever you ask, I shall give it to you, as long as you offer me your protection."

The Dark One grinned wolfishly at her. "Oh, dearie, it's not money I want, or jewel. I make gold, I don't need that." he paused, looking at her up and down. His gaze made her skin crawl, but still she showed no fear. "I will protect you from the valonqar, and in exchange I will take his life."

Cersei swallowed a cry of delight. Did the Dark One think that Tyrion's death would pain her? He could do whatever the hell he wanted with her little brother, she could not possibly care any less. "I accept", she said.

Rumpelstiltskin giggled again, but this time he did not frighten Cersei. Nothing could scare her anymore. She was safe.

The Dark One disappeared in a puff of purple smoke without saying a word. Cersei did not care. She had prevented the prophecy from taking place. Perhaps magic was not so bad after all.

When Jaime entered her chamber, her happiness only increased. She ran to him, flinging her arms around him, holding him as close to her as possible, never wanting to leave him again. Jaime wrapped his arms around her, leaving a soft chuckle. He breathed in her hair, most likely remembering the times they used to spend together when they were free to enjoy their love.

He slowly broke the embrace and looked at her, his arms still around her. "What is it, my love?" he asked.

"I'm safe", she breathed. "I'm safe…"

Jaime smiled at her. He didn't understand, he didn't know. And he would never know. He didn't have to know. Everything was fine now.

"I love you", she told him. When was the last time that she had told him? Why didn't she confess her love to him all the time? Why did she have to be so proud in the matters of love as well?

"I love you too, sweet sister. I love you with all my heart."

She almost melted at the sound of his sweet words. She kissed him passionately as if she was trying to devour him. Jaime responded with equal fervor, his one roaming all over her body, its destination unknown. His golden hand was pressing the small of her back, holding her close to him. She had missed this. Even now that he was no longer whole, she wanted him. They could be whole together.

They broke the kiss only because they needed to breathe. They looked at each other. Even now, they were still the reflection of one another. Cersei would never love a man as she loved Jaime, even if she lived forever and ever. She belonged with her brother, and she did not care what people thought of incest. They did not know.

Jaime's good hand brushed a lock of Cersei's hair off her eyes. It trailed lower, barely touching her pale skin, tracing the outline of her neck, finding her steady pulse. Cersei closed her eyes, shivering at his touch.

All of a sudden, Jaime started coughing.

Cersei opened her eyes and looked at him. Her eyes widened as she saw the blood. So much red, running out of Jaime's lovely body like a river or perhaps a waterfall. She found a wound just below Jaime's chest. What had happened? Was she having a nightmare?

"Jaime?" She sounded so panicky, so weak and vulnerable.

Jaime collapsed, falling on the floor like a doll. Cersei fell on her knees beside, not caring at all that her beautiful gown was drowned in a pool of blood. "Jaime…"she whispered. What had happened? What could she do? Jaime reached out for her, and she held his hand.

She was just about to scream for help when the Dark One materialized before her.

There were tears in her eyes now, but she didn't care. Let the beast see her that way. She could not hold back her crying anymore. And he seemed to be enjoying the scene that he was watching, judging by the wide grin on his hideous face.

"Do something", Cersei pleaded. "Save him!"

The Dark One's grin widened even more, making his scaled skin wrinkle. He giggled again, making Cersei's blood freeze inside her veins. "This is my price. I'm here to collect, dearie."

Cersei looked at Jaime, breathing hard, his eyes closed. Then, she fixed her emerald gaze on the Dark One. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "What do you mean?"

Rumpelstiltskin giggled again. "You asked me to protect you from the valonqar. I did. Now I want what was promised: the valonqar's life", he replied.

Cersei looked at him. She wanted to kill him, to rip into tiny pieces, to see his blood and to have his blood stain her floor. "Jaime is not the valonqar, Tyrion is", she said through gritted teeth.

"You are so stupid", he said dangerously. "Jaime is younger than you. He is your twin of course, but he came out after you, so technically he is your little brother."

Cersei squeezed Jaime's hand. No, this could not be true. "No", she said stubbornly although her voice was breaking. "Jaime would never…"

"I see the future, dearie", the Dark One informed her. "I saw your beloved Jaime kill you as it has been foretold. I protected you from him just like you asked. And now he shall die."

Cersei let out a scream of pain. How could Jaime kill her? Why would he ever do that? Had she ever meant anything to him, or had it all been an act? Most importantly: what could she do to save him?

"There's nothing you can do, dearie", the Dark One said simply. "He will die."

Cersei sobbed and looked at Jaime again. He was so pale, like he was a ghost of Harrenhal. He opened his eyes slowly, with the little strength that he had left, and looked at her. "Cersei…" he breathed. "I…love… you…"

She barely had time to say "I love you too" before Jaime closed his eyes forever.

"No…"she whispered. The hot tears kept rolling down her cold cheeks. Some of them fell on Jaime's handsome face, but none of them brought him to life. He was gone, and nothing could bring him back.

"Why didn't you tell me he was the valonqar?" she asked, not taking her eyes off Jaime. She sounded like she was dead herself. And, in a way, she was. Her other half was dead, and a part of her had died with him. She would never be whole again.

"You never asked", he said simply. "I did what you told me."

She just stood there, looking at Jaime, holding his cold and lifeless hand. They had promised to each other that the one would not leave without the other. They belonged together, and they would leave this world the way they had come to it: together. But Jaime had left her.

There was only one thing that she could do.

She unsheathed a dagger that Jaime had on his belt. She looked at it, at the fine and shining blade. She knew that the Dark One was watching her. She could feel his eyes, full of wisdom and mischief, on her. Let him watch. Let him see what he had caused. Let him see what love is, something that he would never feel, she knew.

She held the dagger firmly. She would have to strike true. She took a deep breath. All her life was flashing right before her as she began to think all the good times that she had had. All of them had been with Jaime and with the three jewels of her life, the three treasures that he had given her.

She plunged the knife below her breast, trying to wound herself where Jaime had been wounded. She felt the pain, but she didn't cry out. She was a lioness, she would not cringe for anyone, not even for the Dark One.

She lay beside him, resting her head on his chest as if they were just taking a nap after their love-making. She closed her eyes and never moved again.

**Reviews are love! x **


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